


Sweaters, Dares and Coffee Dates

by Dark_Angel23



Series: 25 Days of Christmas- Prompt Challenge [5]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Christmas, Christmas Shopping, December - Freeform, M/M, Sweaters, Ugly Holiday Sweaters, dares
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-05
Updated: 2020-12-05
Packaged: 2021-03-09 20:02:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 693
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27891997
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dark_Angel23/pseuds/Dark_Angel23
Summary: 25 day Christmas Prompt Challenge- Day 5Ugly Sweaters“Can I help you?” He asked, fighting hard to keep a grin off his face. The blond glared at him.“You know why I am here.”
Relationships: Merlin/Arthur Pendragon (Merlin)
Series: 25 Days of Christmas- Prompt Challenge [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2039365
Comments: 2
Kudos: 54





	Sweaters, Dares and Coffee Dates

**Day 5- Gift shopping**

Merlin watched in amusement as the blond walked in the door of the shop again, blushing in embarrassment.

“Can I help you?” He asked, fighting hard to keep a grin off his face. The blond glared at him. 

“You know why I am here.”

Merlin realised that trying to keep the grin of his face was a losing battle, and let one spread on his face. He made sure it was a teasing one.

“Of course. Come.” He told him, and turned round and led him to the back of the shop, where people rarely went.

“Take your pick.” Merlin announced, mockingly bowing as the blond walked past him and into the maze of racks. He scowled at the shit-eating grin on his face.

“So, Arthur,” Merlin started, “Care to tell me why exactly do you come by and buy these ugly sweaters every day?” He had already asked this question once, a few days ago, but hadn’t gotten a satisfactory answer. Or even one, really. It was hurtful, as one would expect that after meeting each other nearly everyday for two weeks some semblance of friendship would bloom between them.

Arthur glared at him, which was all he seemed to be able to do these days.

Apparently not.

Merlin raised an eyebrow. He wasn’t going to leave it.

Arthur sighed. “It’s a dare.”

“A dare to wear the ugliest sweaters possible?”

“Kind of.” Merlin waited, but the blond did not elaborate.

“And?” He prompted.

Arthur exhaled sharply. “Why do you want to know?” He snapped. 

Merlin stopped himself from recoiling. “Wow. Rude.”

“Fine! If you want to know, I had been dared to wear the ugliest sweaters I could find everyday until Christmas.”

Merlin’s eyes shot up. “Who dared you?” He asked. He was honestly impressed, anyone who could make this tough-looking guy do such an unpleasant dare, was equivalent to a deity in his book.

Arthur rested his head against a rack in defeat. “My sister, Morgana.”

Merlin nodded, because he didn’t know what to say. He didn’t know her.

“What do you think of this one?” Arthur asked, showing him a fawn- coloured sweater on which a garish picture of a reindeer wearing a santa hat was knitted.

“Horrible. But this one is even worse.” Merlin picked up a hot pink sweater with orange and black stripes on it. “How about this one?”

Merlin grinned as Arthur looked up at him in horror.

“ _ No. _ ” He spat vehemently.

“Yes. But to make you feel better, I’ll give you a discount.”

“No.” Arthur repeated.

Merlin shook his head, his raven locks coming to rest in his eyes. “You’re buying this. No need to argue.”

“No, I’m  _ not _ .” Arthur pressed. “This one.” He threw the fawn colored sweater at him.

Merlin rolled his eyes, but acquiesced.

****

Arthur kept visiting the shop nearly everyday for the next two weeks, and Merlin kept helping him find more and more horrible sweaters to wear. Until one day, when Arthur asked him the whereabouts of the pink sweater.

Merlin told him he didn’t know, which was a blatant lie. 

“Why?” He teased. “Want to buy it?”

Arthur glared at him to hide his rising blush.

The sweater didn’t come up again until the 24th, when Merlin slid a brown paper- covered package over the counter when Arthur came up to pay.

“What is this?”

“A Christmas present.”

“You’re giving me a Christmas present?”

“I am not totally a horrible person, you know.”

He eyed it suspiciously, and then looked up to Merlin, who was trying to hide a grin. He shrugged and pulled out a few bills to pay for the sweater he was purchasing.

*****

When Arthur got back home, the first thing he did was tear open the package. A horrible combination of colors assaulted his eyes.

It was the pink sweater.

As he pulled off the wrapper, a piece of paper fell out. He picked it up.

_ Remember when I told you I didn’t know where this sweater went? _

_. _

_. _

_. _

_ I lied. _

_ -Merlin _

_ P.S. Want to go for a coffee sometime? _

Arthur couldn’t help the grin that spread across his face.


End file.
